There But For the Grace of God
by T L Kay
Summary: AU. Harry faces a harsh world after he decided to go after the Hallows instead of the Horcruxes. It is now six years since the start of the war and good is losing. Now Harry must make the ultimate decision: save his best friend, or the world.
1. Chapter 1

Harry looked out into the clearing, the wind whipping through his scraggly hair. He rubbed his arm as he waited, an old habit. It hadn't been quite the same since he injured it. Hermione had done everything she could, but healing really wasn't her forte. Harry glanced behind him at the small group, grown smaller since it had formed. They had lost Neville two years ago, but not before he had killed Nagini, leaving only one Horcrux to be destroyed. They had lost others along the way, Dean, Seamus, and the Patils, among others. Harry's eyes fell on the empty spot next to Hermione and his heart hurt; that was a fresh loss.

As if thinking about it had brought them back sooner he heard a faint pop from behind him. He turned to see the two figures creeping along in the shadows. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it into the clearing, whispering the incantation. A silver stag burst out of the tip and galloped off, running a circle around the two hooded shapes and leading them back to Harry.

"Harry," said a familiar voice from under the hood.

"Did you find him?"

Ginny reached up and pushed back her hood so he could see her nodding, but she didn't look happy.

"How bad is it?"

Ginny sighed, exchanging a look with the blond girl at her side. Luna looked virtually unrecognizable from the girl he had met so many years ago. The innocence was gone from her eyes, she had seen too much in the past five years. She had put up a good fight, retaining her optimism longer than any of them, but the shock of witnessing Neville's death, so soon after they had gotten so close, was the final straw.

"It's bad Harry. There's no way we can get to him…not without help."

Harry glared at her suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "He wants to help us, why won't you let him?"

Harry looked at her for a moment, then realization hit him. "No," he said, shaking his head emphatically. "It's not going to happen."

"Damn it Harry, how many more people have to die before you let go of your pride?" Luna said.

Harry just looked at her, dumbfounded, before nodding his head reluctantly. "Fine, but I don't trust him. I'll meet him somewhere not here. You can go tell him that."

"You'll meet him now?"

Harry looked again at the empty space beside Hermione, watched as she rolled over and put her arm where Ron should be. He nodded.

The girls sighed in relief. "Thank god," said Ginny under her breath.

"Go on, I have to wake Fred and George, tell them where we're going."

Ginny nodded.

"And Ginny? Make sure he knows, just cause I'm meeting him doesn't mean I trust him."


	2. Chapter 2

Harry checked his clock with a pang of guilt. Mrs. Weasley had given him the watch as a 17th birthday present; it had been her brother's. When he thought of how much she and Mr. Weasley had already lost it made him feel all the worse for what had happened to Ron. Charlie was dead, Percy was in Azkaban, Arthur was crippled, and their other children were on the run, and all of it was his fault. He hadn't been able to bring himself to tell Molly about Ron. Ginny assured him that she would understand, and that only made it worse. No parent should be told that their child is being tortured and_understand_. And what should have been a consolation—the fact that Ron had taken out Bellatrix Lestrange—only made it worse, for it meant that Voldemort must be putting him through a new kind of hell. 

Harry was jolted out of his reverie by the telltale crack of someone apparating. He looked up to see Ginny and Luna and a third figure. He recognized the pinched face that stared out at him from under the hood of the cloak. He grimaced; this wasn't making his night any better.

"I should have known Snivellus would send his lapdog," said Harry.

"Well he can't well come on his own Potter, I think the Dark Lord would probably notice if his right hand man went missing."

"You on the other hand are so unimportant no one notices when you disappear, eh Malfoy?"

Draco growled under his breath. "I'm here to help Potter, if you'd rather I left your blood traitor pal to the tender mercies of the Dark Lord, that can be arranged."

Ginny smacked Malfoy across the back of the head, making him snarl in pain, and Harry throw her a loving look.

"What did I tell you about names?" she said angrily.

Malfoy mumbled something and Ginny hit him again.

"Alright, damn it! You said you'd hex me into oblivion if I didn't show some…respect."

"And I wasn't bluffing."

Malfoy shot her an angry look while he rubbed the back of his head.

"So do you want my help or not, Potter?"

Harry just looked at him. "Do you want an honest answer to that question?"

"Fine, but I'm all you have."

Harry grumbled under his breath. Ginny shot him a warning look and he gave in with a sigh.

"Fine," he sighed. "What can you do?"

"We can get you in."

"That's it?" Harry asked in disbelief. "We've gotten in before. Getting in isn't the problem, getting out is or we wouldn't be here right now."

"We can get you _all_ in. And you won't have to find a way out, because I know where it is."

"Where what is?"

Malfoy smiled. "The diadem. That's what you've been trying to get all these times, isn't it? The thing you need in order to kill the Dark Lord?"

"Will you stop calling him that? It's not making me trust you."

"Fine, You-Know-Who if you will. You can finally defeat him, Potter."

Harry shook his head. "Why should I trust you? It was your heart's greatest desire to join his ranks when you were old enough. What happened?"

Malfoy glared at him. "Reality happened Potter. I've seen what he's capable of, and I think I liked the world before."

Harry smiled. "You mean you liked being important, and having anything you wanted."

"Damn it Harry," he said, using Harry's first name for the first time.

Harry was taken aback.

"Don't you think I want to make him pay?"

Harry grimaced, he didn't want to feel sorry for this sniveling little weasel, but it was hard not to feel bad for someone who had lost their parents. "Fine. I'm not saying I trust you, but I'm saying I'm willing to find out if I can."

Malfoy nodded. "Then I would start making whatever arrangements you need to, because this is it."

Harry nodded.

"I'll tell him then. Wait till you hear from us."

"No, I want to meet him face to face, no middle men next time."

"But Potter…"

"No Malfoy. If Snape wants me to trust him, he needs to prove himself."

Malfoy nodded. "Fine, I'll tell him, but it won't be easy."

Harry exchanged a look with Ginny, seeing something in her eyes that had never been there before. She couldn't lose another brother, it would destroy her. He looked back to Malfoy. "We don't have any other choice."


End file.
